What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A quality robot vacuum will help you stay on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many work with apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and create virtual boundaries, or "walls" to keep them from areas you don't want cleaned.
This smart vac and mop vacuum robot creates a home map with its first run, storing your space for future use. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys, as well as a self-cleaning, brush roll.
Object Detection
When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, select one that can clean up large objects like lamps and toys as well as fine dust. This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brushes or strewn across your floor. This is especially important for those who have pets or children and you may have to clean the robot on a regular basis.
A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is also an excellent choice. This will enable it to be more efficient in removing dust, pet hair, and lint off carpets and hardwood floors.
Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your home. If you have an apartment it is possible to pick models that have multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean the entire house in a single session. Some models also come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums can last for a long time however they'll need to be maintained regularly and in a proper manner. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot working efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have had the same model for 10 years or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries in the process).
A basic robot will cost less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job of keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and lint. You can use them to sweep your floor several times a day. The drawback is that they don't offer as much advanced technology, and could be susceptible to becoming stuck or needing human intervention.
Object Avoidance
The top robot vacuums make use of cameras, sensors or lasers to navigate your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They also can avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they run low on power. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to memorize your home's layout and spend less time bouncing off walls.
If you don't want splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can find a model that is capable of removing pet hair dirt, dust, and debris from floors that are hard like wood and tile and carpets with low pile. They also can handle larger debris such as metal screws, rusty nails or even toys that have been discarded. Some models even have a self-emptying base which is helpful for those who don't want to empty your trash bin after every clean-up.
Many robotic vacuums also come with advanced features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient such as zones, schedules, and the ability to control them via an app or a voice assistant like Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to get into.
Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses sensors, cameras and intelligent algorithms to avoid objects such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots that I've tried, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or tripped when working on my floor.
While the iRobot j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance bot but it wasn't always able to do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs from my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas leading to a lot of dust in the filters and an unclean house.
Smart Mapping
The best robot vacuums come with an app that lets you alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and look at the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is an excellent feature, and one that some competitors lack altogether. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specified times and continue to run on a regular basis, like cleaning the living area prior to dinner or on a regular basis.
A good app can also let you control your robot using voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot through voice commands.
For a truly hands-free experience, look for an option with a big dust bin that can hold many cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are also models that self-empty which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the machine after each run of vacuuming.
If you're looking for a robotic that is more than a vacuum, consider the models that have mopping functions. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums, and have a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dust and dirt before needing to emptied.
Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps and remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuums because it won't be spending time returning to the beginning of the room when it comes into contact with walls or furniture.
Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch TV or do other things while the robot cleaned. Some of these models use laser navigation and can create an exact map of your entire home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner, or every room in the house while you're at work.
App Control
If you want to customize how often the robot cleans your house and select a cleaning option you should choose one that has a mobile app. Within the app, you can check the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the most effective robot vacuums can be controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
It is simple to maintain a robot with a washable filter and a self-emptying container, particularly if the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. Another great feature is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards making it much easier to remove dirt and hair. Certain robots are better at avoiding chair leg than others. Others have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to prevent clogging.
Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and help you understand your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords. Cheaper models may utilize boundary strips to mark off areas that you don't wish it to enter. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who have toys and socks scattered throughout the house, as it allows your robot to grab those objects instead of scattering them.
More robots are coming with mop heads. This is useful for those with hard floors who require to mop regularly. These robots come with an integrated water tank into the chassis or a separate piece you can put in when it's time to clean. They might need to be refilled more often than other types of robots, however they're perfect for homes with floors made of wood which aren't easy to clean using a vacuum.
These robots are loaded with some impressive technology, and they cost significantly less than you'd expect. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that can do a decent job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs off hard floors while also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.